Documented workflows

Abstract

In an example there is provided a method to specify a workflow template comprising a sequence of tasks to be performed by workers to execute a workflow, encode the workflow template into a secure ledger, receive a transaction request from a worker to perform a task of the workflow according to the workflow template and validate the transaction request according to the content of the secure ledger.

1 . A method comprising:
 specifying a workflow template comprising a sequence of tasks to be performed by workers to execute a workflow;   encoding the workflow template into a secure ledger;   receiving a transaction request from a worker to perform a task of the workflow according to the workflow template; and   validating the transaction request according to the content of the secure ledger.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the transaction request is digitally signed by the worker. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein digitally signing the transaction request is performed with a workers' private key. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein validating the transaction request comprises validating the signature using a workers' public key. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein validating the transaction request comprises determining that the task in the transaction request is the next stage of the workflow according to the workflow template, based on the content of the secure ledger. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein validating the transaction request comprises validating the transaction request payload according to the workflow template. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising rejecting a transaction request in response to determining that the request is invalid according to the content of the secure ledger. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein encoding the workflow template to a secure ledger comprises:
 computing an initial entry to the secure ledger as a function of an input associated to the creation of the workflow.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein encoding the workflow template to the secure ledger comprises:
 computing a subsequent entry to the secure ledger as a function of at least the previous entry on the secure ledger.   
     
     
         10 . An apparatus comprising:
 a workflow controller arranged to manage a workflow according to a workflow template;   a secure ledger comprising a record of workflow related transactions;   wherein the workflow controller is arranged to:   encode a workflow template into the secure ledger; and   process transaction requests workers executing the workflow according to the workflow template.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the workflow controller is arranged to:
 receive a transaction request to perform a workflow task from a worker; and   validate the transaction request on the basis of the content of the secure ledger.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the workflow controller is arranged to compute a function of an input associated to the creation of the workflow to encode the workflow template into the secure ledger. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the workflow controller is arranged to compute a subsequent entry to the secure ledger as a function of at least the previous entry on the secure ledger. 
     
     
         14 . A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium encoded with instructions executable by a processor, to:
 define a workflow process comprising an order of execution of a workflow tasks to execute a workflow;   record the workflow process into a secure ledger;   receive a request to execute a workflow task according to the workflow; and   verify the request according to the content of the secure ledger.